


minute

by gooseberries



Series: 30 Days of Malec [3]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Character Study, Fluff, M/M, magnus reflecting on life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-06 22:44:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15895650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gooseberries/pseuds/gooseberries
Summary: There were countless minutes in Magnus Bane’s life. Dozens of lifetimes of them had already passed and an endless amount of more would continue to pass.There was of course his mother and his stepfather who created many minutes for him to remember, most unwelcomed. The Branwells and Herondales had a long history of providing Magnus with minutes to ponder. Even the Carstairs, dear Tessa, Catarina and Ragnor had all left impressions on his soul that would linger forever.None left quite as many as Alexander Lightwood, though.





	minute

There were countless minutes in Magnus Bane’s life. Dozens of lifetimes of them had already passed and an endless amount of more would continue to pass. Not all of these minutes were memorable. On the contrary, most seemed to pass by with the speed of a tornado ripping through the plains. In fact, only a handful actually stood the test of time for Magnus. One every few decades seemed about right; moments in a long history that popped out when he sat still for too long.

There was of course his mother and his stepfather who created many minutes for him to remember, most unwelcome. The Branwells and Herondales had a long history of providing Magnus with minutes to ponder. Even the Carstairs, dear Tessa, Catarina and Ragnor had all left impressions on his soul that would linger forever. 

None left quite as many as Alexander Lightwood, though. 

**Minute one.**

Magnus had lived a long life. Hundreds of years under his belt and he thought a group of bigoted Nephilim would actually be able to beat him if only for the sheer numbers. An angel in darkness proved him wrong that night though, fluidly pulling an arrow from the quiver on his back and firing it just over Magnus’s shoulder. If there had been time to think then the warlock may have feared the arrow was meant for him. Instead, Magnus watched the minute pass by as the dark-haired and dark-clothed shadowhunter killed the Circle member hidden just behind him.

Every relationship had an origin story, and theirs began with an arrow and a pun about meat.

**Minute two.**

He should have ignored that damned shadowhunter. The Nephilim only managed to pull Magnus into trouble. He knew that and yet he still continued to chase after a clearly closeted shadowhunter male, knowing this could never end well.

Yet once more this dark angel proved him horribly wrong. Trouble was brought to him, yes, but then the most remarkable thing happened. A Nephilim, a _Lightwood_ he may add, offered up his strength for Magnus to use. Alexander Lightwood trusted a warlock enough to give a part of himself to save a practical stranger.

Alexander put his trust in Magnus and Magnus fell a little harder.

**Minute three.**

As quickly as the relationship blossomed, it nearly died.

Alexander almost died and Magnus could have done nothing to stop it. If his dear sister Isabelle hadn’t thought to call, then the poison would have killed Alexander.

What had he been thinking, going after a Greater Demon? Correction, what had he been thinking, putting himself in the way of a Greater Demon to save his family?

Of course, Magnus knew what he was thinking and even admired it; he would just never admit as such. His precious angel was always so willing to give everything for his family no matter the consequences. His angel hid their relationship for too long simply to spare his family from the ‘shame’ of having a gay eldest son. Alexander had been given his duty in life; to protect his siblings at all cost and to bring pride to the family name.

Magnus just wished that for once he could be chosen over it.

**Minute four.**

Alexander picked him.

The fight was over. The city of glass had been defended and the Nephilim would no longer have to worry. Magnus had fully expected to be ignored as the shadowhunters all reunited. Hugs and desperate kisses all around him, shouts of relief as family members and lovers were found intact.

Magnus wished it for himself but ultimately knew better.

Alexander continued to surprise him. With the rest of the Lightwoods watching, Alec thrust himself at Magnus without hesitation. In moments Magnus had Alec wrapped in his arms, the two men clinging to one another tightly. With a new ferocity Alec smashed his lips to Magnus’s, finally proving to the rest of the shadow world that they were together.

After thousands of minutes, someone picked Magnus.

**Minute five.**

Life never happened the way it was expected to. That was the first lesson Magnus had learned as a young child, kicked out of his home with no one to guide him. It was a lesson he was reminded of as he spent his life running from Nephilim to protect his warlock mark. It was the lesson he ignored as Camille burned him time and time again.

It was the lesson he should have remembered when he fell for Alexander Lightwood.

Seeing his love with Camille, the woman who broke Magnus repeatedly without a care, burned. Well, Magnus thought nothing else could have hurt quite so much.

He should have known Alexander would never do anything to hurt him, but fury and pain took over Magnus’s thoughts then. His dear angel was truly attempting to take his immortality away from him. Was the man so blind to what was right that he was willing to act so drastically without Magnus’s consent? Was he truly willing to take away a piece of what made Magnus who he is?

The thought burned too much, and so he ran away before Alexander could burn any more minutes in his mind.

**Minute six.**

To die was a poor end for a warlock meant to live forever. To die without ever saying goodbye to the one man he could say he loved, well, that was simply a travesty.

Sitting in the cell in Edom, slowly withering away for the simple fact that he was in his father’s realm, Magnus was suddenly not content with dying. He was always sure that when the moment came, he would accept death in stride and finally be at peace. There would be no more running, no fear and no bigotry to overcome.

Magnus thought he would look at death and find peace in the people that had already left. His mother, Ragnor, Will, Raphael, all of the people he had loved before and had too little time with.

Instead, Magnus thought to the person he would be leaving behind. The person who likely hated him for his abandonment of their relationship but one he couldn’t get out of his head.

In that singular minute where death seemed to be the only end, Magnus longed for Alexander.

And he got him.

**Minute seven.**

Magnus Bane was never supposed to have children. The rule was he was never supposed to fall for a mortal because he’d seen how broken Tessa was after losing Will. He was never supposed to have a kid of his own because they would just cause him pain when they left.

One angel and one tiny blueberry broke those rules soundly.

Coming home to his strong shadowhunter softly cradling a warlock baby in his arms and looking at the child as if nothing else mattered in the world, that made Magnus content in his decision. Screw the rules he’d made if it meant he got to experience this moment. Alexander smiling preciously and innocent Max finally sleeping soundly.

The warlock baby would have a safe and peaceful life with Magnus and Alexander.

Magnus couldn’t wait for all of the minutes he would get with these two.

**Minute eight.**

The call was unexpected.

Alexander almost never called from work, preferring to separate his time as a shadowhunter with the time spent at home.

Instead, that night Alexander was calling Magnus and asking him to come to the institute. It had been quite some time since he’d truly been inside, and while he normally would have noticed the fact that he wasn’t getting as many harsh glares as normal, this time he was only focused on his husband.

What could possibly be so wrong that he had to call him so late? Magnus had left little Max with Izzy, knowing the young woman would take any excuse to spend time with her adorable nephew.

Magnus finally steeled himself and stepped into the office, expecting a horror scene to be revealed to him.

Instead, it was his husband standing with a young boy, hand resting protectively on the boy’s thin shoulder. It was clear that the boy in front of them was not cared for before; there were signs of malnourishment and the clothes he wore hung off of his frame. His deep skin wasn’t marked with runes, letting Magnus know how young he was. His eyes were tilted to the floor as if not wanting to face Magnus at all.

“Alexander?” Magnus asked curiously, desperately wanting to know why a young Shadowhunter boy was standing between them.

His husband looked nervous as if he couldn’t gauge how Magnus would react to this situation. “I went to Brazil, you know? Cleanup after the war. I found this one on the streets. His parents were killed and he has nowhere to go. I thought that maybe...”

“Yes.” Magnus didn’t have to hesitate, already knowing what Alexander was hinting at. This poor boy was left to face the consequences of a war he had no say in; there was no way Magnus would allow him to face the world alone.

“Yes?” Alexander repeated as if surprised it hadn’t taken more convincing. Perhaps it was because this was a shadowhunter boy. Magnus had carried the same worries when he brought Max home for the first time, unsure Alexander would feel comfortable raising a little warlock.

“Absolutely. He deserves a home.”

A bright smile washed over the boy’s face, over Alexander’s face. Rafael was brought into the family and Magnus felt truly at peace.

Magnus didn’t know what minutes his family had left to give him, but he was aching to find out.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for the delay on this one; I wanted to get it right and college has been having me super busy. Let me know if you have any suggestions for the next few!
> 
> Tumblr: https://writer-in-theory.tumblr.com/
> 
> Let me know what you thought of this and thank you for reading!


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